Next weekend isn't October but the book frenzy continues as we will be heading to Austin for the Texas Book Festival.

What Arrived in My Mailbox This Week

What I Read This Week

Reviews coming soon.

What are you reading today?

What is the Sunday Salon? Imagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which you can share the books you've acquired.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is now being hosted at The Book Date.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. To participate in Saturday Snapshot: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken and then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky at West Metro Mommy Reads.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

I'd never read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Even the cover creeps me out.

I didn't try Gone Girl either. I knew that book would give me nightmares.

Anything by Stephen King. Even if Stephen King came out with a nice little children's book about puppies, I wouldn't read it. I'd be too scared to read anything with his name on the cover.

I read Robert R. McCammon's amazing book, Boy's Life, years and years ago and it's stuck with me as one of the best books I've ever read. I'd never have opened it if I'd known McCammon writes mostly horror.

I had these three books at my elementary library in Houston and they were constantly checked out. I was curious about them and tried the first story in book one. It's called The Big Toe. I couldn't read past the title. Terrifying.

No true crime for me. No way Jose.

This is the scariest book I keep in my primary school library. The third story is horrifying. It's called The Green Ribbon. Don't read it. Trust me on this.

Do you like scary books? Have you read any of these? Am I missing out?

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

There's really only one way to read and review 78 books in one day, and that's a readathon.

That's my goal for today. I'll be co-hosting from 1-3 pm CST, so stop by and say hello at 24hourreadathon.com if you get a chance. If you haven't readathon-ized before, you will definitely want to drop in and join in for a mini-challenge or two, and don't forget to visit some blogs and encourage people on.

Hour 0: Opening Meme

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

I'm here in Alvin, Texas,

between Houston and Galveston.

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

This is Not a Book

The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read

Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery...

And, most of all, We Found a Hat

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Coffee.4) Tell us a little something about yourself!

School librarian. Reader. Blogger.

I love to read happiness books, travel stories,

literary fiction and nonfiction, and children's books.

5) What’s one thing you’ll do different today?

I will stay in my pajamas much of the day.

It's almost time to start. Ready? Set? READ!

Hour 1 and 2

Books read so far: 22

Titles read during this time: Barnacle is Bored

The Water Princess

They All Saw a Cat

A Hungry Lion or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals

The Typewriter

Little Red

Mother Bruce

Ideas Are All Around

The Night Gardener

Dragon Was Terrible

A Night of Great Joy

Hey, That's My Monster!

Extremely Cute Animals Operating Heavy Machinery

Worm Loves Worm

The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read

I'm a Girl

Hungry Bird

Groovy Joe: Ice Cream & Dinosaurs

King Baby

Into the Snow

Let's Play!

This is Not a Picture Book

Snacks consumed: Coffee and yogurt

Currently reading: More picture books

Hour 3 and 4 and 5 and 6

Books read so far: 55

Titles read during this time: The Mixed-Up TruckGoodbye Summer, Hello AutumnCreationThe Ugly DumplingPirasaursTell Me a Tattoo StoryThe Wheels on the Tuk-TukThere is a Tribe of KidsBe a FriendThe Uncorker of Ocean BottlesThunder Boy Jr.PuddlesImelda and the Goblin KingMax at NightOne Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus TreeThe Lion InsidePenny & Jelly Slumber Under the StarsHenry Wants More!Frank and Lucky Get SchooledThe StorytellerFrankencrayonStrictly No ElephantsSuper Happy Magic ForestTwenty YawnsThe Darkest DarkBloomMy Heart Fills With HappinessLes Miserables (Board book)I'm Sunny! (Board book)This is Not a Book (Board book)My Heart Fills With Happiness (Board book)Hamsters on the Go (Board book)Look! Birds! (Board book)

Snacks consumed: Water and M&Ms

Currently reading: More picture books

Hour 7 and 8

Co-hosting at 24hourreadathon.com

Hour 9 and 10 and 11

Out to eat with friends

Hour 12 and 13 and 14

Books read so far: 85

Titles read during this time: The Quickest Kid in ClarksvilleWe Found a HatSnappsy the Alligator Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!Follow the Moon HomeFrom Wolf to Woof!Hensel and Gretel: Ninja ChicksGood Night, BaddiesIf You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't!The White Cat and the MonkReal Sisters PretendGrandma is a SlowpokeSuperhero Instruction ManualSurf's UpThis is My DollhouseBefore I LeaveA Piece of HomeThe Sound of All ThingsNormal NormanFeathers for PeacockFlora and the PeacocksLittle OneA Morning with GrandpaFreedom in Congo SquareDaniel Finds a PoemI Am a StoryGiraffes Ruin EverythingFollow Me!Too Many CarrotsNinja BabyHoot and Peep

Snacks consumed: More Water and M&Ms

Currently reading: I finished all my picture books! Hurrah!Now on to my grownup books. First up...Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right

Hour 15-24

Sleep. Sigh.

End of Event Survey

Which hour was most daunting for you? 9 pm. My body wants sleep.

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Children's picture books.

Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next season? I think I'm going to create my own team like Brona did for her Australian bloggers. I will also use 15 minutes of each hour to blitz social media and check up on my team.

What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I love knowing that hundreds of people are reading at the same time. It makes the world a happier place.

How many books did you read? 85

What were the names of the books you read? See above.

Which book did you enjoy most? I can't reveal that until the Cybils voting is over on Jan. 1st.

Which did you enjoy least? Can't reveal that either. Sigh.

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? 100% likely. I don't know but I think I'll read and visit blogs next time.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy Reads. To participate in Saturday Snapshot: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken and then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky at West Metro Mommy Reads.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list that one of our bloggers here at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

It begins. Public nominations have closed, and author and publisher nominations are open. We are looking at 146 fiction picture book/board book nominations currently, and I've managed to locate and read 54 of these. Whew. I always forget what a huge endeavor this is. Exhausting. But wonderfully fun.

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-thon is Coming!

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-thon is coming up on Saturday, October 22, 2016. Could you read for 24 hours straight? How much could you read? Could you win some prizes? Play some book-ish games? Sign up now here.I'll be co-hosting from 2-4 pm CST, so I hope you'll stop in and say hello.

What Arrived in My Mailbox This Week

Two new board books, Wee Gallery Jungle and Wee Gallery Farm, along with two MG speculative fiction books, A Guide to the Other Side (the main characters are ghosts!) and Children of Exile (a a new trilogy by that wonderful writer Margaret Peterson Haddix) and a new picture book, An Excessive Alphabet (by the team that brought us Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) all arrived in my mailbox this week.

What I Read This Week

I finished Commonwealth just in time for tomorrow night's author event with Ann Patchett in Houston and I finished Train to Crystal City just in time for this Tuesday's book club event. And I read Paths to Happiness and The Power of Meaning cover to cover, so the next time you see me I should be radiating both Happiness and Meaning. Reviews coming soon.

What are you reading today?

What is the Sunday Salon? Imagine some university library's vast reading room. It's filled with people--students and faculty and strangers who've wandered in. They're seated at great oaken desks, books piled all around them,and they're all feverishly reading and jotting notes in their leather-bound journals as they go. Later they'll mill around the open dictionaries and compare their thoughts on the afternoon's literary intake....That's what happens at the Sunday Salon, except it's all virtual. Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading. And comment on one another's blogs. Think of it as an informal, weekly, mini read-a-thon, an excuse to put aside one's earthly responsibilities and fall into a good book. Click here to join the Salon.

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews in which you can share the books you've acquired.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is now being hosted at The Book Date.